We no longer consider requests for refund from 1 January 2023.
Previously, pass holders had to complete procedures such as serving Stay-Home Notice (SHN) or taking COVID-19 tests to enter Singapore, and thus incurred charges for these procedures.
Organisations and pass holders who have not paid for these charges will receive an email to make payment.
How to tell if the email is genuine:
- Email with breakdown of charges will be sent by donotreply@mail.postman.gov.sg and contains a link which directs you to this FAQ.
- Email with payment link will be sent by no-reply@pay.gov.sg or donotreply@mail.postman.gov.sg.
Find out who is responsible for paying for the pass holder’s COVID-19 treatment.
| Type of employee |
Purpose of travel |
Who is responsible for the costs? |
| Existing work pass holders returning from overseas |
Left Singapore for work |
Employers must bear the costs in full and are not allowed to pass on any cost to the employees. |
| Left Singapore for personal reasons |
Employers and employees should come to a mutual agreement on who bears the costs or how to share them.
|
| New work pass holders on in-principle approvals |
Plan to enter Singapore for employment |
For Work Permit holders, employers must bear the costs in full and are not allowed to pass on any cost to the employees.
For other work passes, employers and employees should come to a mutual agreement on who bears the costs or how to share them.
|
[For helpers and confinement nannies] Employment agencies who had paid to bring the helper into Singapore may recover these costs from employers. If so, employment agencies should obtain the employers’ agreement to pay for the costs before applying for the helper.
We advise employers to submit a new work pass application for such workers after the situation stabilises.
Yes, employers may apply for a levy waiver for the following pass holders on home or overseas leave:
Employers can request to extend their pass holders’ stay in Singapore if they need more time to send them home (e.g. waiting for an embassy-facilitated flight or pass holders are on Stay-Home Notice). Please submit this request within 1 week before the pass holder's Special Pass or Short-Term Visit Pass (STVP) expires.
If the Special Pass / STVP expires on 10 February, please only submit the request from 3 February.
With the gradual easing of travel restrictions in Singapore, you may wish to discuss with your pass holders and come to a mutual agreement on their travel plans.
You are also reminded to refer to the travel requirements that your pass holders must adhere to when they return to Singapore, and mutually agree with your pass holders who should pay for the related COVID-19 tests costs, where applicable.
You have to bear the full cost of COVID-19 travel requirements for new Work Permit holders entering Singapore.
However, to protect yourself against Work Permit holders who job-hop shortly after starting work, you can review the contractual terms of new Work Permit holders who have yet to come to Singapore to include certain conditions.
These conditions, such as a minimum employment period or notice period for employment terminations, should be:
- Mutually agreed between you and your workers.
- Reasonable in duration, e.g. 3-6 months for minimum employment period.
- Tied to only the costs of COVID-19 travel requirements e.g. COVID-19 entry tests (if applicable).
If your Work Permit holders breach these conditions, they will have to reimburse you. The reimbursement can be partial or full, depending on their length of service.
You should only impose these contract clauses against Work Permit holders who resign within a short period of time, e.g. within 3-6 months, to work for another employer without leaving Singapore. You cannot impose these clauses against Work Permit holders who resign to return to their home country/region (e.g. to attend to family matters).